Accessibility Commons^™

Service-Learning In Catholic Higher Education And Alternative Approaches Facing The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qianhui Tian, Thomas Noel Jr.

COVID-19 and Catholic Schools

Drawing on a review of the literature on service-learning in Catholic higher education and the development of online service-learning, as well as an empirical case study of 2020 Vincentian Service Day at DePaul University, this article examines an alternative way to develop service-learning in Catholic schools in response to the reality and needs of the world in front of us. Service-learning is widely practiced in higher education institutions and plays an essential role in Catholic schools as it integrates students’ faith, morals, and spiritual growth with social justice commitments. School closures due to COVID-19 significantly impede service-learning. However, a successful …

Service-Learning In Catholic Higher Education And Alternative Approaches Facing The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qianhui Tian, Thomas Noel Jr.

Journal of Catholic Education

Drawing on a review of the literature on service-learning in Catholic higher education and the development of online service-learning, as well as an empirical case study of 2020 Vincentian Service Day at DePaul University, this article examines an alternative way to develop service-learning in Catholic schools in response to the reality and needs of the world in front of us. Service-learning is widely practiced in higher education institutions and plays an essential role in Catholic schools as it integrates students’ faith, morals, and spiritual growth with social justice commitments. School closures due to COVID-19 significantly impede service-learning. However, a successful …

Astrodance: Engaging Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students In Astrophysics Via Multimedia Performances, Jason Nordhaus, Manuela Campanelli, Joe Bochner, Thomas Warfield, Hans-Peter Bischof, Jake Noel-Storr

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The dynamics of gravitating astrophysical systems such as black holes and neutron stars are fascinatingly complex, offer some of nature's most spectacular phenomena, and capture the public's imagination in ways that few subjects can. Here, we describe AstroDance, a multi-media project to engage deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students in astronomy and gravitational physics. AstroDance incorporates multiple means of representation of scientific concepts and was performed primarily for secondary and post-secondary audiences at ~20 venues in the northeastern US prior to the historic first detection of gravitational waves. As part of the AstroDance project, we surveyed ~1000 audience members roughly split …

Summer Literacy Academy: Evaluating The Impact Of Supports, Book Choice, Incentives, And A Focused, Literacy-Based Summer Learning Program On Reading Outcomes For Rural, Middle School Students, Kathrina Oconnell

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This research explores the effect of the equitable provision of resources and a literacy-focused curriculum on summer learning loss for middle-school students. Using the faucet theory, this mixed methods sequential exploratory study was designed to provide school-year resources during the summer months, for students in grades five through eight, in a rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged school district. Transportation, breakfast, lunch, books, and a literacy-focused enrichment program were provided for all students, and book choice and attendance prizes were used to increase student motivation. The pragmatic approach of the study incorporated both quantitative (e.g., literacy outputs, registration, attendance data, reading observations, and …

Exploring Stem Kit Diagrams For Braille Readers In Inclusive Classrooms, Sariat A. Adelakun Dr

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Diagrams appears in many school subjects but more prominent in science and mathematics taught in schools. Accessing these diagrams in an inclusive classroom has been identified to be problematic for blind students partly due to the teaching resources available and personnel type, support and sufficiency. Diagrams are mostly omitted by teachers leaving the blind person out in such classroom to access portion of education received by their peers. In many instances, questions with diagrams are treated as bonus for blind students in some countries which is not fair to them. This study explored the efficacy of STEM Kit diagrams on …

Implementing Writers’ Workshop Into The Special Education Classroom, Taylor Denning

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Writers’ Workshop has developed prominence as a method towards providing authentic writing experiences. The purpose of this study was to determine what happens to student perceptions and quantity of writing when Writers’ Workshop is implemented into a special education setting. This study took place in a self-contained special education classroom of third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders. Data was collected through focus group interviews with the teachers, focus groups with two students from every grade, perception surveys, and writing samples.

Surveys and focus group interviews were completed before and after the implementation. Writing samples were collected at the beginning, middle, and end …

The History Of Learning Disabilities And The Hidden Stories Of Students, Parents, And Teachers: How Traditional Classrooms Can Improve, Gabriella G. Catania

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This research will differentiate between the various learning disabilities and their history of when they were first discovered. This research reveals how classrooms have improved and what needs to be changed in order to guarantee every student can receive an equal education despite their learning disability. This paper is constructed through research and interviews with parents, teachers, and students about why the education system needs to move against conformity and standardization. This research demonstrates each learning disability and its effect on students learning. The main focus is on what issues need to be improved in the traditional education system to …

The Accessibility Of Mathematical Notation On The Web And Beyond, Jason White

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This paper serves two purposes. First, it offers an overview of the role of the Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) in representing mathematical notation on the Web, and its significance for accessibility. To orient the discussion, hypotheses are advanced regarding users’ needs in connection with the accessibility of mathematical notation. Second, current developments in the evolution of MathML are reviewed, noting their consequences for accessibility, and commenting on prospects for future improvement in the concrete experiences of users of assistive technologies. Recommendations are advanced for further research and development activities, emphasizing the cognitive aspects of user interface design.

An Analysis Of Pre-Service Agricultural Educators’ Self-Efficacy With Exceptional Learners, Sara Edwards, Sara Edwards

Honors College Theses

The total program of agricultural education has established that the inclusion of all students is a priority, including students who fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other similar legislation. However, upon reviewing the literature, a significant deficit has been identified in terms of training and preparation to work with students with disabilities within agricultural education. Literature and philosophy regarding the concepts of self-efficacy and experiential learning theories are explored. Additionally, works regarding special education in the agriculture classroom and primary challenges faced by agriculture educators are reviewed. A need to establish better preparatory training within preservice …

Assessing Learning Of Students With Disabilities, Amit Kaushik

Teacher India

ACER and the Network on Education Quality Monitoring in the Asia-Pacific (NEQMAP) reviewed existing inclusive education policies and practices in the Asia-Pacific region with a particular focus on learning assessment of children with disabilities.

Teaching Cybersecurity To Students With Visual Impairments And Blindness, Jesse R. Hairston, Tania Williams, Derrick W. Smith Ed.D., Coms, William T. Sabados Ph.D., Steven Forney

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This work showcases specific adaptations used to make cybersecurity accessible to high school students with visual impairments and blindness (VIB). The rapidly growing field of cybersecurity demands a diverse workforce; however, barriers exist which can deter students with disabilities from studying cybersecurity, let alone pursuing a career in the field. To help overcome this challenge, we launched the first GenCyber camp specifically developed and instructed for high school students with VIB in summer 2019. We created a unique learning environment by combining interactive instructional aids, accessible development environments, and innovative instructional strategies. With intent to show cybersecurity as a viable …

Rockets: Reaching Our Community Through Kindness, Education, Togetherness And Stem – A Sustainable Communities Project In Sumter County, Georgia, Crystal Perry

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This poster session highlights the ROCKETS program implemented in Sumter County Schools through UGA Extension. Through the ROCKETS Project in-school sessions, youth with disabilities are provided additional opportunities to belong to a larger group of youth through the Georgia 4-H Program. The ROCKETS Project focuses on Agricultural literacy and STEM education as content areas to cultivate, recruit and graduate the next generation of a highly-skilled diverse workforce.

See3d: 3d Printing For People Who Are Blind, Caroline Frances Karbowski

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Objects such as snowflakes, castles, and butterflies have become more than just words when explored as a 3D print. The founder’s passion for braille led to the creation of the program See3D, which organizes the printing and distribution of 3D printed models for people who are blind. 3D prints such as DNA, cells, animals, constellations, telescopes, historic landmarks, logos, and maps were created to fulfill requests by people who are blind for tactile learning tools. Recipients shared their feedback on how to improve the models, and the printing and distribution service. See3D seeks to spread awareness about accessibility by …

Use Of Scientific Argumentation By Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing Students In Environmental Science Topics, Annemarie Ross, Randy Yerrick, Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Deaf/hard-of-hearing (Deaf and hard-of-hearing) postsecondary students may have some misconceptions surrounding scientific concepts that might be partially ascribed to a lack of access to culturally-responsive forms of pedagogy. The Deaf and hard-of-hearing community is diverse in communication modes, including those who use American Sign Language as their primary language, and therefore, some students from this population may display characteristics similar to English Language Learners. Through classroom discourse analyses and interviews, we found a general lack of persuasion characteristics used by most students in an environmental science unit, and that the lack of higher-level scientific argumentation skills seemed to be related …

Space Camp Experience For Attendees Of The 2019 Island Conference In Huntsville, Alabama, Rachel Bigham

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

About the space camp experience

Overview Of The Proceedings Of The 2019 Inclusion In Science, Learning A New Direction Conference On Disability (Island), Cary Supalo Dr., Jasodhara Bhattacharya, Daniel Steinberg, Derrick W. Smith Ed.D., Coms

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The 10^th annual Inclusion in Science, Learning a New Direction Conference on Disability (ISLAND) was hosted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), with support from the UAH College of Education, UAH Office of Academic Affairs, and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, as well as the Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM), a National Science Foundation funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) and the UAH Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education (CCRE). On October 4-5, 2019, the conference was held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center facility and at the new Student …

From The Co-Editors..., Todd Pagano, Sami Kahn

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Call For Manuscripts, Todd Pagano, Sami Kahn

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Copyright And Open Access, Todd Pagano, Sami Kahn

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Placement Of Students With Extensive Support Needs In California School Districts: The State Of Inclusion And Exclusion, Meghan Cosier, Audri Sandoval-Gomez, Donald N. Cardinal, Shayne Brophy

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Access to general education settings for students with disabilities varies greatly among and within states across the United States and worldwide. The variability in placement and lack of access to general education for students with disabilities, particularly students with extensive support needs, are reasons to identify factors associated with placement and then address the role of current policy. Explored in this study were the placement of students with extensive support needs in 938 school districts across the State of California in the United States and the relationship between placement and economic and demographic factors. Results suggest alarmingly low access to …

The Visually Impaired Learner (Vil) And Orientation And Mobility (O&M) Programs At Portland State University, Holly Lawson, Amy T. Parker

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

History of Visually Impaired Learner (VIL) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) programs at Portland State University.

Introduction To Cec’S Process For Re-Validating Knowledge And Skills Competency Sets, Amy T. Parker

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Overview of the CEC’s process for re-validating knowledge and skills competency sets.

President’S Message, Division Of Visual Impairments And Deafblindness’, Amy T. Parker

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

President's message to the Division on Vision Impairment and Deafblindness

Mobility Matters: Interdisciplinary Partnerships To Create More Accessible Cities, Amy T. Parker

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

History of the Mobility Matters, Portland State University’s annual summit on transportation accessibility.

Conceptual Paper For Re-Validating The Teacher Of Deafblind And Intervener Competencies, Susan Bruce, Cathy Nelson, Amy T. Parker, Debbie Sanders, Adam Graves, Carol Rimka

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

An overview of the standards for the role of Teacher of the Deafblind (TBD) and the paraprofessional Intervener.

Examination Of Aig Teachers’ Cogat Test Preparation Practices In One North Carolina School District, Charlton Kurt Hiatt

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study focused on gifted education screening practices in North Carolina. Specific focus was on the practice of universal screenings using the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and test preparation measures conducted by one school district. The study collected and analyzed data from regular elementary education and elementary AIG teachers regarding test preparation lessons and materials. The study then narrowed to interview participants to further examine the lessons. This study found that both sets of teachers agreed that test preparation for students was necessary to increase equity and address the persistence of underrepresented subgroups identified as AIG in LEA-1. …

The Impact Of Retention Efforts On The Collegiate Experience Of Students Of Color At A Predominantly White Institution (Pwi), Jeffrie Mallory

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored perceptions of thirteen stakeholders who participated in the Minority Orientation Program, a pre-entry initiative focused on retaining students of color at a private, four-year university located in the northeast region of the United States. Situated in Vincent Tinto’s Theory of Student Integration and Critical Race Theory, the author qualitatively assessed the Minority Orientation Program’s impact on participating students of color and the program’s influence on their enrollment through the completion of their Freshman year. The study’s findings confirmed that the Minority Orientation Program affects the collegiate experience for students of color in several ways. Positive influences in …

Nothing Down About It: Decreasing The Fear Of The Unknown For Mothers’ Expecting A Child With Down Syndrome, Alexandra E. Greenburg

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Down Syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality that is associated with an intellectual and developmental delay. This is because there is an extra full or partial copy of the 21st chromosome called Trisomy 21, which is diagnosed prenatally or at birth. Parents of children with Down syndrome felt that health professionals displayed a lack of understanding and ignorance when delivering their child’s Down syndrome diagnosis (Mengoni & Redman, 2018). This may lead to concerns on the child’s quality of life and hinder timely appropriate intervention services for a child with Down syndrome. This is why I conducted a workshop in Claremont, …

Infographic: Students With Disability, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

Advocacy group Children and Young People with Disability Australia sought the views of almost 500 parents and carers of primary and secondary students with disability for its 2019 National Education Survey. Today’s infographic looks at some of the main findings.

Music Therapy’S Role In The Education System, Madison Riley, Tori L. Colson, Moriah Smothers

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Music therapy is a lesser-known and used related service, yet it provides significant benefits to students that have language, behavioral, and social needs. This article reviews the literature on music therapy, discusses its historical and theoretical roots, and examines its use in educational settings. Special attention is given to therapeutic practices that are geared toward students on the autism spectrum because their social and communication needs are often a good fit for music therapy practices. Recommendations on using music therapy in special and general education classrooms are also made. Additionally, recommendations for including music therapy content in teacher preparation programs …